Single center experience with sonolith R vision lithotripter for the treatment of solitary urinary stones in Saudi patients

Objectives: the aim of the study was to evaluate the results of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (eswl) using the sonolith r vision lithotripter for urinary stones. patients and methods: from july 2005 to september 2008,463 patients including 451 saudi and 12 non-saudi patients,62% males and 38% females aged 18-93 (mean 56.32 years) underwent eswl treatment for solitary urinary stones at the lithotripsy unit of arar central hospital,arar city k.s.a. data was analyzed retrospectively. more than half 250(54%) patients had left sided stones. the most frequent ureteral localization was distal (lower) ureteral 98(52%) patients and most frequent renal localization was renal pelvis 126 (46.49%) patients. the mean stone diameter was 1.41cm (1.02 ureteral and 1.8 cm renal). 56% of patients received eswl treatment under sedation with iv pethidine 50mg diluted. results: our 463 patients required a total of 672 sessions of eswl. mean number of sessions per calculi was 1.425 (range 1-6). the percentage of patients who required a single session was 72.3%. the re-treatment rate was 25% for ureteral stones and 32% for renal stones. treatment was more effective in ureteral stones. 56(12%) patients required other auxiliary procedures like dj stenting and ureteroscopy. in conclusion we found sonolith r vision a safe and effective device for the treatment of urinary stones in selected patients.